Manslaughter Charge Filed In St. Mary Parish Case

51 year old Troy Benoit of Patterson is being held in the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center without bail on a manslaughter charge. Benoit was originally charged with domestic battery after allegedly breaking into the home of Melba Royer and physically attacking her on February 12, 2015. On February 27 deputies responded to Royer's home and found her dead. Royer's autopsy shows she died from complications from blunt force injuries that resulted from the February 12th attack.